Author: chris

I. Analysis Paper (to be used only with a novel or plays)

A. Biographical information on your author and how his/her life influenced his/her work (most likely split into Early Life, Education, Writing Life and Influences)

B. Your personal ANALYSIS of the work’s literary elements supported by your research

1. Setting

2. Mood

3. Characters

4. Conflicts

5. Point of view (novel only)

6. Irony

7. Symbolism

8. Theme

C. Style (based on critics’ analysis as well as your own analysis)

1. School of writing (if there is one) and/ or Genre

2. Artistic Style: Word choice (diction), sentence structure (syntax), dialect, etc. (how the author writes)

D. Personal evaluation of the work backed up by research

1. Discuss its merits

2. Discuss its weaknesses

E. Conclusion

For this essay, you are to discuss a solution to a problem.  Your thesis will be the solution; however, you will need to establish the problem, address feasibility of the solution, and refute possible opposition to your solution.
Other requirements: 1600-2000 words — remember, the word count is just the text of the essay and does not include required elements such as the title page, abstract, and reference page.

3-6 sources

Strict APA format

No second person references, limited first person references

Odysseus’s Character Flaws: Though usually a smart and decisive leader, Odysseus’s deepest
flaw is his falling prey to temptation whereby everyone gets hurt. Using at least three examples
from your sources explain in detail how temptation hurts Odysseus’s men in the epic.

Describe the merits and disadvantages of each of the two major theories on the evolution of flight in birds. What are some reasons behind the evolutionary loss of flight capability?

You are required to research, explore, analyse and synthesize evidence from a range of music sources such as scores, audio and visual recordings, live performances, case studies, essays, lectures, journals or musicology surveys, and present your findings.

Your topic should relate to your chosen specialization (drumming), but may take many forms. Some examples are listed below:

Exploration of performance practices and/or techniques
Comparisons of different interpretations of one work
Analysis of compositions
Exploration of rehearsal methods
Music literature reviews
Surveys of research methodologies

For this critical thinking paper you need to first read the article relating to SSRIs for treating Depression. The article presents a side stating we should utilize SSRIs for treating depression in adolescents (“for”) and an article stating that we should not utilize SSRIs for treating depression (“against”). Once you have read the articles you need to formulate your own opinion related to the subject matter and then type a 4-5 page paper addressing your position. Please remember I am looking for how well you critically examine and support your position, so yes you will need to be able to support your position with outside material (not just the article itself).

Core Assessment Description & Instructions: Case Study Research Paper:
The Core Assessment for this course will challenge you to become an “expert” on the causes, nature, and potential future of terrorist activity within a specific country.  You must write an 8-10 page research paper, using a minimum of 8 sources, in which you conduct a geographic analysis of recent terrorist activity within a selected country.  Your analysis must cover each of the three principle scales of geographic study: local, national/regional, and international/global.  (Note: The instructor will announce specific guidelines and procedures for country selection in class, and it is your responsibility to confirm your selection with the instructor prior to beginning your research.)
The paper must include the following sections:

Introduction: Must include a clear thesis statement about terrorism/terrorist activity within the country that you intend to prove through the evidence provided. (Content of Communication)
Local Scale Investigation: Summarize at least 4 of the most recent terrorist activities within the country by briefly describing the locations where the activities have taken place, the type/nature of each of the activities, and briefly discussing the reasons why these particular locations were targeted/used.  You should include a map in your report that, at minimum, identifies the location of each site discussed. [CLO#1; Application]
National Scale Analysis: Describe and analyze at least 4 of the elements of the country’s “Contemporary Operational Environment” (i.e., the physical and/or human characteristics of the region which contribute to the occurrence of terrorist activity).  In so doing, you should discuss the extent to which these elements illustrate the typical conditions found in areas where terrorist activity is most common. [CLO#2; Analysis]
International Scale Evaluation: Evaluate the impact terrorism has had within the country you are studying both regionally (i.e., in any neighboring countries) as well as globally (i.e., in countries outside the immediate region).  You should discuss whether or not you think the terrorist actions taken were the most effective means for the group/organization to achieve its stated objectives. [CLO#4; Evaluation]

Option 3: You may come up with your own topic regarding sports (with approval from me) and utilize “Backboards and Blackboards” and at least 2 chapters from the text in your analysis (see above for chapter examples).

I am choosing option three to come up with my own topic.  I would like to do my core assessment on College Athletes and the special treatment they receive.  I would also like to go in depth on the difference between the treatment of male athletes and female athletes.  Through breaking down these topics I will utilize sports in high school and college, gender in sports, and deviance in sports and how college athletes act throughout their careers.  I believe this topic to be well rounded and fit perfectly with the nature of the class.

Analyzing Chopin’s and Maupassant’s stories, argue how the writers use the final irony to illuminate important truths about their characters and their growth or lack of growth. Only use two stories for this paper. You SHOULD compare Maupassant’s “THE NECKLACE” to Chopins, “THE STORY OF AN HOUR”.

This third assignment is a film analysis paper.  Choose any of the directors studied in this class, either from the syllabus or the Viewing List.  Watch at least three of his or her films, and write a paper about the themes examined in this body of work and how these relate to its visual style.  In the case of filmmakers working in more than one national cinema, please note that the films you choose have to be productions from Asia, Africa or Latin America.  If you are interested in studying a filmmaker not covered by the syllabus, or included in the Viewing List, please clear your choice with me.

This paper should reflect your understanding of the films.  Outside sources are not needed, but if you use them, please cite accordingly.

Viewing list:
HANA-BI (Fireworks, Japan,1998) Takeshi Kitano 103’

RASHOMON (Japan, 1950) Akira Kurosawa 88’
OHAYO (Good Morning, Japan, 1959) Yasujiro Ozu 93’

THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI (Japan, 2002) Yoji Yamada 129’

YELLOW EARTH (People’s Republic of China, 1984) Chen Kaige 89’

In terms of what the thesis statement actually says, it should relate particular techniques and aesthetics (e.g. a highly discontinuous use of lighting combined with a long take aesthetic) with the themes they examine (e.g. an investigation or exploration of class hierarchy in traditional Japanese society) through the patterns/effect produced by the techniques (e.g. layered chronotopes). The techniques and aesthetics should not be so specific (e.g. A careful positioning of back lights and key lights; this is too specific) in the thesis statement, but they should also not be overly broad (e.g. the use of miss-en-scene; which is like saying everything!). The theme, on the other hand, can be quite specific. The challenge is to be specific with the themes, and more in-between for the techniques/aesthetics. A sample thesis statement built on the examples above may look like:

Through the construction of layered chronotopes with a highly discontinuous use of lighting and long take aesthetic, Films A, B, C, conduct analysis of class hierarchy in three interrelated aspects of traditional Japanese society